Psychological Capital and Mental Health of Rescue Workers

The current study was conducted to explore the relationship between psychological capital and mental health of rescue workers. A cross-sectional survey research design was employed to collect data from 502 male rescue workers with their age ranging from 22 to 44 years by using purposive-convenience sampling. Urdu versions of Mental Health Inventory (Khan, Hanif, & Tariq, 2015) and Psychological Capital Questionnaire (Self-Rater Short Form; Abbasi, 2015) were administered on the sample. Stress appraisal of the critical incidence was used as a control variable and measured through a single item. Findings revealed that among all dimensions of psychological capital that is, efficacy, resilience, hope, and optimism significantly positively predicted psychological well-being, a sub-dimension of mental health. For the psychological distress dimension of mental health, efficacy, resilience, and optimism appeared to be significant and negative predictors. Thus, results suggested that rescue workers high on personal resources are also having better mental health.